Don't Let Go, And Stay With Me
by Heartbeats In Stereo
Summary: Danny Williams goes undercover in a case which will force him to question everything as he examines life, death and fights external forces which are determined to bring about his death as he becomes an inpatient at Oahu Mental Asylum.


**AN – I was going to update Odysseus' Last Days but then this idea popped into my head and refused to budge until it was written. Please R&R!**

"We've got to get a man on the inside!" Detective Steve McGarrett demanded.

Kono and Danny exchanged knowing glances. Since the death of Steve's cousin Tommy, anything that threatened to undermine the public's perception of the Island's health resources tended to get special consideration from Five-O. Not that they deliberately made such cases such a high priority, this one had the potential to sour very fast, which was why Jameson had insisted that Five-O make it first priority.

Recently, at the Oahu Mental Asylum, four patients had committed suicide, or so it seemed. That in itself was nothing new as people tended to do strange things under psychosis, and these individuals were all on heavy regimes of psychotic medication to manage their mental illnesses. A closer examination of the last death, Ken Johnston, revealed that the man had both cocaine and amphetamines in his system. Combined with the sedative drugs he was on, they caused severe psychosis which lead to him jumping off the roof of the hospital. Someone had deliberately given him the illegal drugs and set off this chain of events.

This caused a re-examination of the three other 'suicides,' in which it was found that they all had higher dosages of the medications they were on, which weren't sanctioned by the doctors who had no knowledge of it. The media had caught on as the second victim was a popular television personality, Sandra Kahkua. The amount of negative press coverage was unbelievable, and the Governor had called upon Five-O to investigate and close this case as soon as possible.

"But Steve, how are we gonna get someone inside?" Kono asked. "You gotta be pupule first before 'dey let you in!"

"We can't knowingly send an insane undercover officer in, Steve." Chin added as he chewed on the end of his pipe before adding dryly, ""

A silence settled over the room before Danny piped up, "But what if we could make someone crazy, just crazy enough to fool the doctors?"

Steve clicked his fingers before shooting Danny a sardonic smile. "Then we'd only need to find some hapless officer to volunteer for the assignment." He shot a knowing look at his Second-In-Command.

Danny groaned.

**H50H50H50H50H50**

Dr Bergman couldn't help but stare at Steve. Out of all of the things to suggest to a doctor! "Steve, I understand the urgent need to send someone undercover, but there is no such thing that would be safe for the victim – excuse me – the undercover officer."

Steve gnashed his teeth. Five-O was out of options. They had tried unsuccessfully to send someone undercover but they could not pass the admissions examination. Apparently, the officer wasn't insane enough. The investigation was to be kept as covert as possible, with the official line fed to the media being that the HPD was looking into it. Five-O was to investigate it as discreetly and silently as possible. The mental hospital was to know nothing of it. "We don't have a lot more options, Doc. Four people have already died. If someone is intentionally causing these deaths we need to find them and stop them."

The doctor sighed. "Well, there are ways of rendering someone temporarily insane" - Steve's ears perked up at hearing this, causing Bergman to sigh – "but the dangers to the officer are extremely high. These drugs affect the very chemical balances which control the functioning of the body, the way the mind works. There are also possible adverse effects, such as psychosis of the permanent kind."

"I'll make sure he knows," Steve replied.

"Who is the officer this time? Not that Matthews fellow again I hope?" Bergman enquired, thrumming his fingers against the desk as he seriously considered things. The officer was going into a hospital, which was a good thing since if there was any adverse effect they'd be well prepared for it.

"No, this time we're going with Danny." Steve replied, obviously troubled. He had been joking that morning when he implicitly suggested Danny, but the young man had taken it as a directive. The placing of duty above personal welfare in such a dangerous situation increased Steve's respect for his Second-in-Command. Not that it had been lacking, in the slightest. It also didn't help that no one else was fit for the duty. Chin and Kono's weight made them unsuitable candidates, with Kono's diabetes especially narrowing the potential drugs they could administer to him.

Of course, Steve had suggested himself go undercover but Danny had merely shook his head, saying what didn't kill him would only make him stronger.

Making his decision, Bergman nodded. "Okay, Steve. Normally I would not sanction such a treatment but in this case, needs must. Bring Danny to me tomorrow so I can make sure he understands exactly what he is signing up for, and then we will go from there."

**H50H50H50H50H50**

"Danny, are you absolutely sure about this?" Bergman cautioned one last time, his concern evident in his reluctance to administer the drugs that would very well cause temporary insanity for this man whom he viewed like a surrogate son. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, of course.

"It's not too late to back out, Danno," Steve said softly. He laid a hand comfortingly on Danny's arm, concerned at the tension thrumming through the muscles under his palm.

Danny shook his head as the nurses strapped him down onto the gurney. The cold leather of the restraints cut into his skin, and for a second he panicked before taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He took solace from the three nurses on standby, ready to intervene should he have an adverse reaction to the cocktails Bergman was about to give him.

Lacing his voice with steel, he answered. "Yes, I am absolutely sure. Please, give it to me."

After Bergman wiped the area with an alcohol swab, he moved to extract a small glass case from the drawer, before opening it to reveal a small selection of tourniquets, needles and vials tightly strapped inside. The doctor then secured the tourniquet on Danny's upper arm, his lips pressing into a thin line as he pulled on it to make the vein show up. Taking a needle and vial from the case, he gently laid it on the stand next to the gurney before using the needle to draw an entire syringe full of clear liquid.

"The effects of this combination of drugs should last for approximately 6 hours," Bergman explained one last time. Tapping the side with his thumb and index finger, the doctor squeezed a little out of the nozzle again to get rid of all the air bubbles before seizing Danny's arm as he continued. "After that, you will need to give the performance of your life."

"Yes, Doc. Don't worry, I will," Danny managed a small smile.

"We'll always be there from a distance, ready to act. Remember to establish contact at the pre-determined time everyday. If we do not hear from you, then we will abort the operation. Your safety and wellbeing is our first priority," Steve reiterated firmly.

"Sure, Steve," Danny stated in a quiet voice.

Inserting the needle into the bulging vein in the detective's arm, Bergman depressed the plunger as Danny closed his eyes and sighed.

**H50H50H50H50H50**

"Oh look at him, he certainly looks like a cute one," Nurse Lafayette cooed as she watched the swinging doors of the Psychiatric Ward of Oahu Mental Asylum swing open before two male nurses wheeled a handsome young man quite clearly in the clutches of delirium towards them. He was straining against the bonds which held him in place, and underneath the redness of his face from the screaming and thrashing she could see the hint of a healthy tan and his sun bleached hair. Sweat caused his white gown to cling to his body, outlining the musculature hidden underneath. But perhaps what caught her attention the most were his azure blue eyes, the same color as the sky on a beautiful day.

Her companion, Nurse Chen studied the newest patient before she pulled up his file from the in-patient transom. "Danny Saunders, 34 years of age," she paused as she skimmed the administrative details, "in here for a mental breakdown following a car crash which killed his wife and his infant daughter. Sole survivor. Has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and post traumatic stress disorder."

"Poor, poor man," Lafayette said sympathetically. "It must be so devastating for him to lose his family like that."

Chen scanned the rest of the new patient's record with a critical eye. "Let's hope we can help him, then."


End file.
